Electric furnace control method



Feb. 9, 1960 F. v. ATKESON ELECTRIC FURNACE CONTROL METHOD OriginafFiled Jan. 12. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 mzouuiqzi. 2. F523 u 3 c 8 8 INVENTOR.

FLOR/AN M ATKESQN NOISSHNSNVZLL ATIURNEY i Fe 9. 19 F. v. ATKESON 2,924,695

ELECTRIC FURNACE CONTROL METHOD Original Filed Jan. 12, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WAVE LENGTH IN MILLIMICRONS I N VENTOR. Hflk/AN M ATKESON ATTa /vEy FIG.Z

Feb. 9, 1960 F. v. ATKESQ-N 2,924,695 ELECTRIC FURNACE CONTROL METHOD Original Fil ed Jan. 12, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. FLOR/AN VIATKESON ATTOR/VEY Feb, 9, 1960 F. v. ATKESON ELECTRIC FURNACE CONTROL METHOD 4 SheetsSheet Original Filed Jan. 12. 1953 FIG. 5

FIG. 6

INVENTOR. nae/1w 1/. nrkfisoly ATTOk/VEY United States Patent 2 Claims. (Cl. 219-34) 330,833, January This application January 9, v1956 Serial The present invention relates to a method of heating glass uniformly wherein optimum use is made of the energy applied to glass for heating purposes.

'As a result of a series of studies of the transmission and absorption of heat energy by glass, it has been determined that glass has a transmission characteristic that Varies Witn'tne wavelength or radiant energy impinging on the surface of the glass. It has been observed that radiant energy longer than a certain wavelength characteristic of each glass composition is readily absorbed by the glass, whereas for wavelengths shorter than the characteristic wavelength, the glass transmits a large proportion of the incident radiant energy thereby causing the waste of a large percentage of the radiant energy that could be useful for heating purposes.

While it would seem to be logical for glass to be heated more {rapidly at higher furnace temperatures than at lower temperatures, strangely enough, it has been discovered that for each glass composition and thickness there is an optimum radiant level which is not necessarily associated with the highest possible temperature to which the glass can be subjected at which the maximum heating of a volume of glass occurs.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system of determining the most efiicient method of heating glass wherein a minimum of energy is expended to obtain the maximum possible amount of heating of the entire volume of glass.

Another object is to provide a practical device for heating glass utilizing the system hereinafter disclosed.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon a closer study of the accompanying disclosure taken in conjunction with the attached drawing. It is to be understood, however, that the embodiment disclosed in the present application is for purposes of illustration only and does not necessarily define the limits of the present invention, reference to the latter being had by reading the accompanying claims.

.Inthe drawing:

Figure 1 represents a typical curve showing percentage transmission of radiant energy through a typical glass composition at different wavelengths of radiant energy;

Figure 2 represents a series of radiant energy distribution curves showing the relative amounts of energy distributed at various wavelengths, where the maximum energy distributed at any temperature in a wave band of width 11A is represented by 100 and shows the relative energy distribution of radiant energy for various wave bands of width dA at different wavelengths in the infrared region of the spectrum for bodies emanating radiation at various temperatures from '800 to 1800 E;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional diagram illustrating a typical embodiment of a practical device utilizing the teachings of the present invention;

. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at right angles to the view shown in Figure 3 along the lines 4-4;

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partially in section and 2 partially symbolic, of a horizontal glass bending lehr in which the teachings of this invention are utilized;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view ofthe horizontal bending lehr shown'inFigure 5. t p

It is a well known phenomenon that more'efficient heating is obtained by exposing a body to radiant energy when the percentage of energy transmitted through the body is small, thereby resulting in a large percentage of in: cident energy being absorbed to heat the body. -Studies undertaken with a soda-line-silica glass approximately comprising:

Partsby weight z -.,5 Na O 13.50 Cat) 12:00 MgO 2.50 F6203 I have determined that this glassncomposition transmits over 60% of radiant energy having wavelengths less than approximately 2600 millirnicrons, whereas at longer wave: lengths the transmission percent drops very rapidly to a figure below 5%. (See Fig. 1.) Therefore, the glass under study absorbs over of impinging radiant energy of wavelengths in excess of 2600 millimicrons. Radiant energy in this latter wavelength range is over 95% effective in heating the glass, whereas energytransmitted in wavelengths shorter than 2600 millimicrons for the glass composition studied is, for the most part, transmitted rather than absorbed by the glass. Therefore, energy of wavelengths shorter than 2600 millimicrons is relatively inefficient in heating the glass. 1

As seen in tne-curves shown on Figure 2 wherein the energy distributions at various temperatures are disclosed, it is noted that the maximum energy radiated from a body at 800 F. is at a wavelength slightly below 4200.;miliimicrons, at 1000 F. the maximum energy is radiatedat approximately 3600 millimicrons andat l200 F. themaxi mum energy is about 3150 millirnicrons, etc. The total energy radiated at the various temperatures relativev to the maxima is measured by the total area under'the curve represented by each temperature. Thus at 800 a relatively large proportion of the energy radiated to'the glass at this temperature is in the region of maximum absorption by the glass, and hence only a small porportion of this energy is of a wavelength shorter than 2600 millimicrons, which wavelength energizes inefficiently heat the glassf While a greater total of heat energy is radiated to the glass at 1000 F., .a greater proportion of this additional heat is Wasted since the inetficiency increases with an increase in temperature.

Thus, it is important in the heatingof glass to control the temperature of the walls of a furnace surrounding the glass so that the temperature is at the optimum levelyof absorption of radiant energy of the glass to heat the glass uniformly throughout its depth rather than overheatits surface and have the radiant energy transmitted through the volume of the glass without heating.

While it is recognized that the heating curves disclose that considerable energy is transmitted at both lesser and greater wavelengths than the maxima shown in the various distribution curves, it has been demonstrated that where the peak radiation temperatures can be kept in the absorption spectra of the glass, a more eflicient heating effect is obtained. Conversely, where higher radiant levels are utilized and the peak temperatures are shifted into the region where a higher percentage of transmission takes place, less ,efiicient heating occurs with the result that the glass is overheated in the region of the surface at the expense of heating through its entire depth, while at the same time the higher radiant level consumes additional power.

liable to be "overheated rapidly at the expense of heating I the interior. This results in a temperature gradient through the thickness greater at the surfaces than at the interior. Too much transmission also results in an unacceptable temperature gradient that is slowly minimized by the relatively inefficient conduction through the glass. Only at the proper absorption level of the glass heated arethesegradients minimized and the maximum heating effieiency obtained throughout the entire volume of the glass.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a typical embodiment of a practical device for the tempering of glass which utilizes the teachings of the present invention.

As seen in these drawings, a typical tempering furnace 20 isprovided with walls-22 of refractory material. A plurality of laterally extending channels 24 are provided in the inner surfaces of the refractory walls. Within each of these'channels are contained heating elements 26 of an electroconductive material capable of withstanding high temperatures, such as Nichrome. These electrical heating elements are coupled in three parallel banks of elements to three separate sources of electrical energy (not shown).

The current flowing through each bank of heating elements is controlled by a Rayotube type of controller 27, 28 or 29, designed by Leeds and Northrup. These Rayotubes are the thermosensitive elements which comprise a'mirror, a thermopile at the focal point of the mirror,

and an electric circuit actuated in response to the thermopile. Such devices are well known in the art and their structural details are not part of my invention.

Rayotube 27 is located in the upper portion of the tempering furnace, Rayotube 28 in the central portion and Rayotube 29 in the lower portion. These tubes are aimed beyond the edge of a glass sheet 30 being heated at the opposite wall of the'tempering furnace and are adjustable to cause the circuits within which they are contained to pass current through the heating elements whenever the temperature of the wall at which the tube is aimed falls below a predetermined level. Thus, at a temperature about 1000 F. the temperature of the top, middle and bottom of the glass sheet being heated can be controlled to within i4 F. The provision of three Rayotubes eliminates the natural temperature differential between the top and bottom of the tempering furnace due to convection currents within the furnace 20.

A sheet of glass 30 which is desired to be tempered is suspended from tongs 32 which are hung from overhead tracks 34. The tongs are provided with means such as rollers (not shown) at their'upper ends for horizontal I movement'along the tracks. Thus, a glass sheet- 30 to be tempered is conveyed within the furnace until it is brought into alignment with the heating elements 26. The Rayotubes are set to provide a wall temperature and hence a furnace temperature, of such a magnitude that the most efficient heating of the glass takes place. The glass is then removed from the furnace and suddenly chilled to provide the required temper, in accordance with conventional tempering procedures. However, the heating sired shapes such as are presently required for automobile windshields. In bending glass to form the desired shapes, the present conventional practice includes preheating the glass sheet to be bent, then bending the glass sheet and finally annealing the glass. Since automobile manufacturers require Windshields of irregular curvatures, it is necessary to heat the various portions of the glass to be bent in varying degrees and the amount of heat supplied to the'different portions of the glass can be controlled by means of temperature control elements, such as the Rayotubes previously described for use with the vertical tempering furnaces. It is also important in annealing the glass that if the glass is preheated in order to be annealed it must be heated without providing a temperature gradient within the glass. In practice, such a gradient cannot be entirelyeliminated, but if a mini mum gradient is provided while the glass is being heated in the annealing portion of the bending lehr then a mini-. mum gradient is present in the glass upon cooling and therefore the glass is more properly annealed. Another advantage of providing the minimum required heating in annealing the glass is that it also shortens the cycle'of heating and cooling to provide annealed glass.

Turning now to Figures 5 and 6, reference number 40 represents a horizontal bending lehr. As is conventional in continuous bending operation, a plurality of bending molds 42 are mounted upon trucks 44 and passed through furnace 40 where flat glass sheets are bent to the desired shape. A plurality of heating coils 46 are disposed to radiate heat from above and from both sides of the glass sheet 48 to be bent. A plurality of Rayotubes 50 are provided'along the side walls of the furnace 40 in order to control the current flowing through the various wires 46 and thereby control the amount of heat that is directed to the various portions of the glass plate 48 that is being bent. Each Rayotube is aimed at a different wall or ceiling area, comprising a plurality of heating circuit wires of the glass is accomplished in accordance with the teachings of the present invention and, therefore, the glass sheet is more uniformly heated throughout its entire volume rather than overheated near its surfaces. That is, the residual temperature gradient within the glass sheet from surface to center, after the heating cycle has been completed, is minimized. I

Figures 5 and 6 represent two different views of a horizontal bending lehr used for bending glass into dedifferent eir and the intermediate wall portions, and is thermally responsive to the average temperature at the surface scanned,,thereby controlling the amount of current flowing inthe wires heating that portion of the furnace wall and thereby controlling the amount of heat to be sup plied at a predetermined area of the glass,

Since different degrees of heating are required in the pre-heat, bending and annealingportions of the lehr, cuits are provided in the various partsof the lehr to supply the various amountsofheat required. Each of these circuits has its current controlled by an associated thermo-responsive Rayotube.

The following examples disclose what happens when non-efficient temperatures at radiant levels higher than those required are utilized in performing different glass operations.

Example I--Bending product. Therefore, this additional power is completely wasted.

-A system of determining the optimum temperature at which the walls of a furnace should be heated inorder to effect the most efficient heating ofany glass composition contained within the furnace should embody the teachings contained in the present disclosure with reference to the partieularembodime'nts described.

First, the transmission characteristi of the glass should be determined for the radiant energy spectrum transmitted by radiators heated to the range of temperatures that glass is required to be subjected and then, the walls of the furnace should be heated to a temperature such that the maximum heating effect per unit of heat radiated to the glass surface is absorbed Within the glass volume heated.

However, the temperature to which the glass surface is heated is required to be a certain irreducible minimum, namely, that sufiicient to soften the glass. At this minimum temperature, the peak of radiation intensity is supplied at a longer wavelength than at higher temperatures. However, when speed of operation is a more important factor than thermal efficiency the total efiective heat supplied to the glass may be increased over a range of increasing temperatures because of the additional total heat of lesser efliciency supplied at higher temperatures. However, once the temperature is raised to such a level that the peak of radiation intensity occurs at a wavelength at which the glass has excellent transmissivity, any additional increase in temperature due to an increase in heat supplied does not serve to provide additional heat that can be utilized by the glass, but instead, results in an inefficient absorption of heat by the glass to such an extent that a lesser percent of heat is absorbed by the glass at very high temperatures and more heat is wasted.

The determination of the most efiicient temperature for heating each glass composition depends on the optical properties of each composition as does the determination of the temperature at which the maximum heating takes place.

This application is a continuation of my copending patent application, Serial No. 330,833, filed January 12, 1953, and entitled Electric Furnace Control Method.

I claim:

1. A method of providing a controlled pattern of heating of glass bodies in a furnace, which comprises heating the walls of a furnace by passing current through electrical heating elements mounted on portions only of areas of the walls of the furnace measuring separately each of the areas for radiant energy level, plac ing a glass body in the furnace, continuing the measurement of the radiant energy of said areas and separately controlling the electrical current to the heaters in said portion only of the areas to maintain the measured radiant energy levels in said areas until the glass body has been heated to the predetermined temperature pattern, and removing the glass body from the furnace.

2. A method of providing heating uniformly to areas of glass bodies in a furnace, which comprises heating the walls of a furnace by passing current through electrical heating elements mounted on portions only of areas of the walls of the furnace to provide said areas of the walls emitting radiant energy at the same predetermined level, measuring separately each of the areas of the walls for radiant energy level, placing a glass body in the furnace, continuing the measurement of the radiant energy levels of said areas and separately controlling the electrical current to the heaters in said portions only of the areas to maintain the measured radiant energy level for each area of the walls until the glass body has been heated to the desired temperature, and removing the glass body from the furnace.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,506,443 Otis Aug. 26, 1924 1,670,846 Cope May 22, 1928 1,810,172 Hayes June 16, 1931 1,944,449 Munro Jan. 23, 1934 1,976,461 Prince Oct. 9, 1934 2,015,838 Borden et al. Oct. 1, 1935 2,127,889 Shenk et a1. Aug. 23, 1938 2,176,999 Miller Oct. 24, 1939 2,177,805 Hogg et al. Oct. 31, 1939 2,377,946 Leary June 12, 1945 2,438,160 Green Mar. 23, 1948 2,441,672 Roy May 18, 1948 2,452,488 Paddock Oct. 26, 1948 2,646,647 Bamford July 28, 1953 2,671,988 Walters Mar. 16, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 675,492 Great Britain July 9, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES Infrared, by L. R. Kaller in General Electric Review, March 1941, pp. 167-173. I

UNITED STATES PATENT orrics CERTIFICATE 6F 'CORREQTION Patent Noe 2,924,695 February 9, 1960 Florian Va Atkeson It is herebj certified that error appears in the-printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2 line 10 for sodaline silica" read mm soda=lime-silica line 46 for "energizes" read energies column 6 line 1 for "portion" read portions line 35 list of references cited, under "UNITED STATES PATENTS" for Roy read Ray Signed and sealed this 4th day of April 1961.

$53, ERNEST w. SWIDER WXXMXMK ARTHUR w. CROCKER Attesting Oflicer Acting Commissioner of Patents UNITED STATES PATENT orTTcE CERTIFICATE Q Q0 EQTTON Patent N0.a 2 ,924,695 February 9, 1960 Florian Va Atkeson It is herebfi certified that error appears in the-printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2 line 10,, for "soda-line-=silica" read soda==lime-silica line 416 for "energizes" read energies column 6 line 1 for portion" read portions line 35, list of references cited under "UNITED STATES PATENTS" for 'Roy" read Ray Signed and sealed this 4th day of April 1961.

it??? ERNEST W. SWIDER ARTHUR w. CROCKER Arresting Oflicer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

